Family Fun / Arts & Leisure

Ballets ‘Dracula,’ ‘Wedding’ returning

By David Burke | Saturday, October 11, 2008 | () comments

Dracula is out for blood.

And so is the Mississippi Valley Blood Center.

So why not offer tickets for Ballet Quad-Cities’ return engagement of “Dracula” next weekend to blood donors?

That’s what the blood center is doing for those who are present to donate blood at any four of its fixed sites (offer not valid for mobile collections).

“We can have a little fun with it,” blood center public relations director Kirby Winn said. “Blood centers get connected with vampires and the whole blood aspect. We thought it was something we could do to call attention to another organization in the Quad-Cities.”

On stage next weekend at the Capitol Theatre in downtown Davenport, “Dracula” is returning after a good response last year, part of a double-feature with “Die Hochzeit (The Wedding),” which was staged in 2004.

“Dracula” brings visiting artist Domingo Rubio back in the title role, with all of the same dancers from last year and Deanna Carter’s choreography.

“It’s basically the same production, but what we are able to do by restaging it is giving a little more time for the choreographer to flesh out the story,” associate director Courtney Lyon said.

Carter, the company’s resident choreographer, has reworked parts of the tale based on Bram Stoker’s famed vampire.

“She’s gotten a little deeper into the story,” Lyon said.

“Die Hochzeit” has many of the dancers who performed in 2004, directed by choreographer Dominic Walsh. Listed as an artistic adviser to the company, Walsh recently received the Princess Grace Award for Choreography and will return in December for Ballet Quad-Cities’ traditional production of “Nutcracker.”

Lyon said the company members enjoyed the chance to return to the two pieces.

“Getting to revisit that has been really great,” she said. “We just got back into it and made it even better as well.”

All of the performances, as well as many of the rehearsals and Walsh’s critiques, were videotaped, Lyon said, but the dancers who performed it quickly returned to form.

“Once you dance something several times, you’ve got a lot of muscle memory,” she said. “Even if your brain doesn’t remember it, your body will.”

Lyon has retired from dancing, but is working with the two performers who are filling the roles she played in the two separate productions of the 2004 season.

“I passed on (Walsh’s) wisdom to our new dancers. I feel like I am still a part of it,” she said.

David Burke can be contacted at (563) 383-2400 or dburke@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.

IF YOU GO

What: “Dracula” and “Die Hochzeit (The Wedding)” by Ballet Quad-Cities

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19

Where: Capitol Theatre

How much: $22 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for children

Information: (309) 786-3779 or BalletQuadCities.com on the Web